Organ stop key



Sept. 9, 1930.. E. VERLINDEN ORGAN STOP KEY Filed Aug. 22, 1928 A T TORNEY Patented Sept. 9, 1930' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDMOND VERLINDEN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN ORGAN STOP KEY Application filed August 22, 1928. Serial No. 301,305.

' member having a U-shaped metal extension formed thereon to support a contact member and to facilitate the attachment of actuating means.

A further object is to provide a stop key including simple but effective means for permitting the removal and replacement of a stop key lever on a supporting rod.

A further object is to provide retaining means for the movable member of the stop key of such character as to avoid the'loss of parts When the movable member is dismounted from its supporting rod.

A further object of the invention is to perfect details of construction generally.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional elevation through an organ console including stop keys embodying the invention, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 and showing the stop keys in plan, and including a schematic wiring diagram for one of the stop keys;

Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of a retaining member for one of the stop keys;

Fig. 4 is a perspective detail view of a positioning and contact member for the stop key; and

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of one of the stop key levers.

In these drawings, the numeral 10 designates one of the front rails of an organ console through which is formed a horizontallyextending slot 11 sloping forwardly and downwardly and receiving therethrough the forward portions of a plurality of stop key levers or tablets12, the walls of the slot being lined with felt bumper strips 13 engageahle by the levers to limit the movement of the levers to their alternative positions. The levers or tablets may be formed of any suitable plastic, such as celluloid.

A horizontally-disposed bar 14 is detachably secured by screws 14 to the rear face of the front rail 10 and has driven therein a plurality of spaced upstanding pins 15 which have aligned apertures 16 at their upper ends receiving therethrough a horizontally-disposed rod 17 arranged in parallel relation to the rail 10 behind the slot 11. Each stop key lever 12has a downwardly opening notch 18 at an intermediate portion to receive therein the rod 17 on which the stop key levers are thereby saddled and pivotally mounted, and the pins 15, which are placed between adjacent stop key levers, serve to dispose the levers in their predetermined spaced relation. In order to retain each stop key lever in place on the supporting rod 17, an inverted U-shaped yoke 19, formed of resilient wire, straddles an intermediate portion of the stop key lever above the rod 17 and is provided with eyed ends 20 through which the rod passes, the

downwardly bowed upper portions 21 of the wire yoke being sprung into a transverse groove 22 at the upper portion of the stop key lever. The rearwardly-extending portions of the stop key lever beyond the rod 17 are relatively short and of reduced width and are straddled by the terminal portions of a U-shaped sheet metal member 23 having the end portions of its legs secured to the lever by rivets 2 1. A metal pin 25 is secured transversely of the Ushaped sheet metal member 23 to project beyond the sides thereof and is engaged within the member 23 by an upstanding forwardly-urged leaf spring 26 having its lower portions secured to the lower parts of the bar 14. The upper portions of the leaf spring 26 are provided with a forwardly projecting V-shaped kink 27 presenting sloping cam surfaces on either side of its apex 7109 which are alternatively engageable with the pin on the stop key lever. The lower portions or the leai spring 26 are provided with vertically-spaced slots 28 receiving therethrough attaching screws 29, the lower screw 29 extending into a vertical wall 30 of the bar 14: to clamp the spring 26 thereagainst tions 32 of the several leaf springs 26. This conductorwire may be permanently secured in place, since the bent portion 31 of each spring permits the spring to be vertically adjusted, the adjustment of the spring being made in order to insure the proper travel of the stop key lever within the slot 11.

A spring contact wire 35 extends upwardly from the bar 141- through which it passes and includes an angular upper portion 36 which is engageable with the pin 25 on the stopkey lever to form a circuit-closer, the lower end of the Wire 35 being connected to one conductor of a cable 37 secured in place in any suitable manner, as by means of a supporting strip 38. VJ hen the stop key lever 12 is in its upper full line position of Fig. 1, the spring Wire 35 is outot contact with the subjacent pin 25 and the stop key is then in its oil position. A movement of the stop key lever to the dotted line position of Fig. 1 lifts the contact pin 25 into engagement with the spring wire 35, the stop key being then in its on position. In either 01 the 0d or on positions of the stop key, the pin 25 engages the corresponding sloping wall of the kink 27 formed on the leaf spring 26, so that the lever is spring-urged to its extreme positions, and as soon as the pin passes over the apex of the kink 27, the'resulting cam action forces, the lever to itsextremeposi tion.

The conductor 34 and cable conductors 37 v are connected in the usual stop-controlling circuits of the organ.

In order to provide for the automatic or pre-selected operation of the stop keys, each lever 12 may be connected behind the console to any of the usual actuating means, which in the present instance is shown to be inflatable bellows 39 and 4G mountedon a supporting frame ll and connected by cords 42 with the inner end of the sheet metal extension 23 of the stop key lever, an opening 43 being formed at the end 01 the extension member to receive the cords.

In the schematic wiring diagram shown in Fig. 2, the lever retaining spring 26 of one sible position during the love of the stop keys is connected by the conductor 34 to one terminal of a battery 45 or other suitable source of current, the other terminal of the batterbein connected b a conincludes a plurality of circuitcloser elements,

only one of which is shown, ant. this is connected by a conductor to one terminal of a battery 51 or other suitable source of current, the other terminal of the battery being connected by a conductor 52 to the circuit-closer of one 01 the keys 53 of a manual or pedal key board. 0 key cir- Another terminal or the cuit-closer is connected by a conductor 5% to one terminal of an electro-in agnet of a stop action 56 including a p pe 57, and th other terminal of the electrdmagnet is connected by a conductor 08 with another ter.- minal of the gang switch 48.

When the stop key is in the run line position of Fig. 1, the circuit-closer i "me thereby is in off position, consequence of which the electro-inagnet g switch 48 is not energized. Under such conditions the gang switch 48 is open, thereby preventing the speaking of the pipe 5? b the depression ofthe key hen the stop key is moved toits closed position, t switch is also closed and the stop placed in operative POSiQlOll under t trol of the key 53. When it becomes necessary to remove a key from the console to facilitate r l to permit the substitution of an c key for a previously mounted rey, itis only necessary, afterdisco' the cord 42, to urge the spring yoke 1. wardly from the notch 22 in the s lever, whereupon the lever can be vby a rearward'and upward'moveme a new step key is inserted, th 19' is snapped back into i to retain the lever on the s- L o The spring yoke 19, by reaso attachment on the rod 17, rema operation and it will not becom placed. I

The stop keys are completel ass-ea. the supporting bar 1 with the members 26, retaining members I 39, i0 and cable 37, prior to the 1' l of the bar to the front rail 10, there ly facilitating assembling operations and permitting all the necessary adjustnic: w i made before the stop keys are mounted in the console. In mounting the stop key as sembly in place, it is only necessa to introduce the stop key levers through the slot 1 and then secure the bar 14 in place to the rear lilo While the devices of this invention find their greatest usefulness as stop keys, they are also readily adapatable to perform other controlling functions in organs, pianos and other musical instruments.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a stop key, the combination of a stopcontrolling member movable to alternative positions, and a resiliently mounted member having cam portions engageable with said stopcontrolling member for urging said stopcontrolling member to its alternative positions.

2. In a stop key, the combination of a stopcontrolling member movable to alternative positions and having a conducting portion, a resiliently mounted conducting member having cam portions engageable with the conducting portions of said stop-controlling member for conducting current thereto and for urging said stop-controlling member to its alternative positions, and circuit-closer means operated by said stop-controlling memher.

3. In a stop key, thecombination of a stop controlling member movable to alternative positions, a resiliently mounted member having cam portions engageable with said stopcontrolling member for urging said stop-controlling member to its alternativepositions, means for adjustably supporting said re siliently mounted member to displace said cam portions with respect to said stop-controlling member, and means for adjusting the pressure of said resiliently mounted member on said stop-controlling member independ ently of said first-named adjustment.

4:. In a stop key, the combination of a stopcontrolling member, a support on which said member is rockably mounted, and a resilient member having a pair of cam surfaces altermounted on said support, a U-shaped member secured to said rockably mounted member and extending rearwardly therefrom beyond said support, a coi'iducting pin carried transversely of said U-shaped member, a resiliently mounted member having a pair of cam surfaces alternatively engageable with said pin and urging said rockably mounted member to its alternative positions, and a con- "actor engageable with said pin in one of the alternative positions of said rockably mounted member. 7

7. In a stop key, the combination of a support, a stop-controlling member rockably mounted on said support, and a leaf spring having a bent portion presenting a pair of cam sniiaces aiternatively engageable with portions of said rockably mounted member "for urging said member to alternative posi- L' i H0115].

8. In a stop key, the combination of a supporting member, a stop-controlling member having a recess receiving said supporting member and said stop-controlling member being rockabiy mounted on said supporting member. ayoke member having portions ,arried on said supporting member and other portioi engageable with said rockably mounted member for retaining said rockably mounted member on said supporting member.

9. In a stop key, the combination of a supporting member, a stop-controlling member having a notch receiving said supporting member and said stop-controlling member being rockably mounted on said supporting member, and a sprin wire yoke member hav ing terminal portions carried on said supporting member and intermediate port-ions rcleasabiy engageable with said rockably mounted member for retaining said rockably mounted member on said supporting member and for permitting the re: oval of said rockably mounted member from said supporting member. 7

i 10. In a stop key. the combination of a supporting member, a stop-controlling member having a notch receiving said supporting member and said stop-controlling member be ing 'rookably mounted on said supporting member, means for releasably retaining said rockably mounted member on said supporting member, and means for preventing the loss of said retaining means upon the removal of said rockably mounted member from said supporting member.

11. In a stop key, the combination of a supporting member, a stop-controlling member having notch receiving said supporting member and said stop-controlling member being rockably mounted on said supporting member, means for releasably retaining said rockably mounted member on said supporting member, and means distinct from said retaining means for urging said roekably mounted member to alternative positions.

12. In a stop key, the combination of a support, a stop-controlling member rockably mounted on said support for movement to alternative positions, a U-shaped member secured to said rockably m unted member and ext nding rearwardly therefrom beyond said support, said U-shaped member including a rearwardly-disposed transverse portion having an aperture therein to receive'an actuating means, a member carried transversely by said U-shaped' member, and a resilientlymounted member having end portions engageable with said transverse member for urging said rockably-mounted member to its alternative positions.

13. In a stop key, the combination of a stop-controlling member movable, to alternative positions, a support, a leaf spring se cured at intermediate portions to said support and having cam portions engageable with said stop-controlling ing said stopcontrolling member to its alternative positions and for conducting current thereto, securing means for longitudinallyadjusting said leaf spring with respect to said support, and said leaf spring having a resilient bent-terminal portion adapted to.

receive a fixed conductor thereon in spaced relation to said securing means, whereby the longitudinal-adjustment of said leaf spring may be efl'ected without disturbing said fixed conductor.

14.-Th combination of a console wall, a console rail having an aperture therethrough, a horizontally-disposed bar secured to the inner face of said console rail and including a rear wall, a supporting rod secured transversely above said bar rearwardly of said aperture, a stop key lever including an arm projecting forwardly through said aperture and pivotally mounted at intermediate portions on said rod for movement to alternative positions, a conducting pin secured transversely of said lever behind said rod, circuit closer means including said pin, an upstandleaf spring having its lower portions secured to the rear wall of said bar and having its upper portions provided with a forwardly member for urg support, a resiliently mounted 1nember havportions with respect to said lever, and means for adjusting the pressure of said resiliently mounted member on said lever independent-- ly of said first-named adjustment.

17. In an organ control, the combination of a support, a lever rockablyr mounted on said support, a contact member carried on said lever, and aresiliently mounted positioningmember and a conta'ctor both engageable with said contact member.

l8. in an organ control, the combination of a support, a lever rockably mounted 'on said support, and a leaf-spring having a bent portion presenting a camsurface engageable with portions ofsaid lever for urging said leverto at. least one of different positions.

19.. In organ control, the combination of a supporting member, a lever member rockably mounted on said supporting. member and having notch receiving said supporting member therein, and means operatively connected torsaid supporting member and said lever member for reieasably retaining said lever member on said supporting member, said means being detachablyengageable with one of said members and permanently engage able with the other of said memoers, whereby to avoid the loss of said retaining means when said lever member is dismounted from said supporting member. 7

20. In an organ control, the combination of a supporting member, a lever member rockably mounted on said supportingmember'and having a notch receiving said supporting member therein, means operatively connected to said supporting member and said lever member for releasably retaining aid lever member on said supporting memher, said means being detachably engageable .with one of said members and permanently engageable with the other t said. members,

and means distinct from saidretaining means for urging said lever member. to at least one of a plurality of positions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EDMOND VERLINDEN. 

